ADAMAWA

TheLaamiiBeofFombina:APoliticalHistoryofAdamawa(18091901) RayouReyBouba.TraditionshistoriquesdesFoulbdel'Adamwa Fulbehooseere:lesroyaumesfoulbeduplateaudel'Adamaouaau XIXesicle:Tibati,Tignere,Banyo,Ngaoundere. LeslamidatsduDiamareetduMayoLoutiauXIXesicle. L'histoiredesPeulsFerobbheduDiamare:MarouaetPette L'histoiredeTibati,chefferieFoulbeduCameroun Lesarmespeuldel'Adamawaau19esicle

TheancientEmirateofAdamawawasapartoftheSokotoCaliphate,the politicallydominantempireoftheCentralSudaninthe19thcentury. AdamawawasknownasThewildeastoftheCaliphate,wereFulanisettlers occupiedthevasthighlandsofNorthernCameroonandprovidedslavesfor theempirefromtheneighboringareas. OneassumesthatnomadicFulanistartedtoleaveFutaToroinSenegal, lookingfornewpasturesandwaterfortheirherdsaroundtheyear1000. Followingthenextfourfivecenturies,theyhadspreadoverthemostofthe SudanzonewestofLakeChad.Bythe16thcenturytheyhadestablished themselvesatMacina(upstreamfromtheNigerBend)andwereproceeding eastwardintoHausaland.Somesettledinthe19thcenturyatAdamawa(in thenorthernCameroons).ManyoftheFulanicontinuedtopursueapastoral life;some,however,particularlyinHausaland,gaveuptheirnomadic pursuits,settledintoexistingurbancommunities. TheoldestwrittensourcesmentioningtheFulaniintheBaghirmiempire (southeastofLakeChad)aredatedtothe16thcentury.Mostprobably,the Fulaniwerewelcomedbylocalruler,astheybroughtwiththemcattleand constitutedamarketforagriculturalproducts.Thegroupsofnomadic Fulanihadtopayatributeincattletothelocalruler,thusrecognizinghis authority.Withtime,agroupofsedentaryFulanibegantoemerge.These oftendistinguishedthemselvesaseducatedMuslimsandwerehighly appreciatedbythelocalrulersfortheirservicesascivilservants,teachers andlegaladvisers. TheFulanicameintocontactwithIslamalreadybeforetheiremigrationfrom Senegal.ConversiontoIslamwasespeciallywidespreadamongstthe sedentaryFulani,whiletheBororo(nomadicFulani)werelessreceptiveto Islam.AmongsttheBororo,Islamnevercreatedprofoundchangesof mentality,butlaidasathinshellabovethetraditionalculturalheritage,and thisisprettymuchhowthesituationremainstodayinthesmallremaining societiesofBororos.ThesedentaryFulaniinFutaTooro,FutaJallon, Masina,aswellasthoseinHaussaland,werestronglyinfluencedbyIslam. TheCaliphateofSokoto AdamawamaybeseenasthelastlinkinachainofempiresbeingIslamized intheSudanbeltduringthelastgrandmovementofMuslimexpansionin Africa.WiththeoutbreakofjihadintheWestAfricanFutaJallon(inmodern Guinea)in1725statedtheageofanIslammoremilitantand 1

fundamentalist,promotedbytheFulani,sharplycontrastingtheearlier spreadofIslambypeacefulMuslimtraders. Haussaland(inmodernNorthernNigeria)wasloosegroupingsofnominally Muslims,smallhaussakingdoms.Theywereunitedbyacommonlanguage andculture,andtheareawasanimportantcenteroftradeandeducation, politicallyandeconomicallyhighlydeveloped.ItisassumedthattheFulani begantosettlehereinthe15thcentury.Arelativelyhighproportionofthese FulaniestablishingthemselvesintheHaussatownswereeducatedMuslims, assimilatingwellintoHaussaculture. In1804,FulaniinHaussalandrebelledagainsttheirHaussarulers.The rebellionwasledbytheFulaniUthmandanFodio,oneofthemost recognizedMuslimintellectualsoftheregion.Itoriginatedinthepublic denunciationofthereligiousandadministrativecircumstancesinthe HaussakingdomofGobirbydanFodio.Haussaaristocracy,claimingtorule inaccordancewiththeprinciplesofIslam,wereinrealityonlynominally Muslims.AsdanFodio'sdenunciationonlyledtofurtheroppressionof faithfulMuslims,hecalledonarebellion.Astheappealforconquestspread alloverHaussaland,FulaniandotherMuslimsgatheredarounddanFodio andparticipatedinthefighting.DanFodioledthemtosuccess.Alreadyin 1810,almostalltheHaussakingdomsweresubjugated.MuslimFulani empireswereestablishedandcallemirates.ThecaliphateoftheFulaniwas tobecomethebiggestandmostinfluentialempireofCentralAfricainthe 19thcentury. TheEmirateofAdamawa IndependentlyoftheconquestinHaussaland,alocalFulanirebelliontook placeinthesocalledFombinathesoutherncountry(referringtothe landsinthesouthoftheBornuempire,nowadaysNorthernAdamawa).For sometime,amodestgroupofFulanihadbeensettledintownsandvillages ruledbynonMuslims,socalledKirdis.TheareasoftheDiamarplainsand theBenuelowlandwereexcellentpasturesandattractedmoreandmore Bororos.Around1800,thelocalFulanirebelledagainsttherulingGisiga Kirdi,andweresustainedbytheneighboringMuslimSultanateofMandara. Basedontheirstrongcavalryandtheirstrategicmethods,theysoon conqueredtheurbancenters,andabout1810themaintownoftheGisiga, Marva(Fulfulde:Maroua)fellintotheirhands.Asearlyasoneyearafterthe appealofholywarbydanFodio,in1805,themobidoAdamaoftheBaclan receivedthewhiteflagofthejihad,andthetitleaschiefofcommandagainst theKirdiinFombina.AdamathusreceivedthetitleofLamidoFombinaor emir,ashenormallyiscalledinEuropeanliterature.Heestablishedhis headquartersinGurinbytheRiverFaro,butlatermovedittoYolabythe RiverBenuein1841.FombinalaterbecameknownasAdamawa,named afteritsfounderAdama. ThenewalliancewiththeFulanifromHaussalandandthereligious dimensionofdanFodio'sjihadgavenewforcetotherebellionoftheFombina Fulani.. About1850,theconquestofAdamawaingeneralwasfulfilled,withsome40

establishedlamidatesandmostoftheindigenouspopulationsubduedby Fulaniruleorlivingasrefugeesinmarginizedareas. Thelargenumberoflamidatesweretodevelopinthedecadesbefore Europeancolonialconquest. Fromthe1850sonward,EuropeanexplorersvisitedAdamawa;inthe1890s, theBritishRoyalNigerCompany,FrenchandGermanexplorerscompeted forobtainingtreatieswiththeEmir(Lamido).In1901BritainandGermany partitionedtheEmirate,thelargerpartofitbecamepartofGerman Kamerun,thesmallerwesternpart,withthecapitalYola,partofBritish NorthernNigeria.TheGermansestablishedaMilitaryResidentureinGarua, closetoYola,wheretheystationedonecompanyofsoldiers,obviouslyto discouragetheAdamawansfromrisinginrevolt. After1901,theEmirsatYolahadtoacceptBritishdomination;Bobo AhmaduAhmaduwasdeposedandexiledin1909.Thelargerpartoftheir territory,nowlocatedinGermanKamerunwaslosttotheirinfluence,onlya partofitbeinggrantedtoBritainbytheLeagueofNationsin1922asapart ofthemandateofBritishCameroons.
IndependentEmirate 18481872 Lawal 18721890 Sanda 18901901 Zubeiru Adamawa'sEmirs EmirateofYolaunderBritishProtection 19011909 BoboAhmadu 19091910 Iya 19101924 Abba 19241928 MuhammaduBello 19281946 Mustafa 19461953 Ahmadu

Lamidos HouseofModiboAdama

18481872HammanbinAdama17971872 18721890SandabinAdama,brother 18901901ZubeirubinAdama,brother,deposedbytheBritish, killedwhilefightingtheGermans(2)18..1903 19011909BobboAhmadubinAdama,brother,installedand deposedbytheBritish18..1916 19091910MuhammadIyabinSanda,sonofSandabinAdama (s.a.),abdicated. 19101924MuhammadAbbabinBobboAhmadu,sonofBobbo AhmadubinAdama1...1924 19241928MuhammadBellobinAhmadu,greatgrandsonofModibo Adama(17711848;r.18061848)1???1928 19281946MuhammadMustafabinMuhammadAbba(s.a.)1900 1946 (1)MostofitsterritoryhoweverbecamepartofGermanCameroon. (2)InordertoescapeFrenchinfluence,heacceptedprotectionofthe R.N.C.asearlyas1893. NotableAdamawaFulanis:ModiboAdamaandAhmaduAhidjo.

ModiboAdama Intheearly1800'sModiboAdamabroughtthenewsofUsmandanFodio's jihadinSokoto.ModiboencouragedFulbefromtheareatojoininthejihad orholywar.DanFodiowasaskedtocomeandhelp,andFulbefamilies joinedinthefight.TheyenslavedordroveoutallnonFulbes.Therulerof thearealivedinYola(presentdayNigeria),wascalledalamidate,andhad headsoffamiliesaschiefsunderhim.ThisjihadmadetheFulbetherulers ofthearea,andtheynameditAdamawaafterModiboAdama,theirfirst leader. AhmaduAhidjo.APulloofcommonorigin,hewasalsoaproductofthe Frenchschool;hetriedtogetnorthernersfromCameroontobemoreactive inpolitics.

1946:electedtotheTerritorialAssembly 1948:foundedtheAssociationAmicaledelaBenoue. 196?:vicepremierofthecoalitiongovernment 1958:cofounderoftheUnionCamerounaise. January1,1960:firstheadofstateofthenewlyindependent Cameroon. AhidjostrengthenedtheMuslims,thenorthsectionofCameroon,and especiallytheFulbe

Languages ContrarytotherestoftheSokotoCaliphate,whereHaussabecamethepre dominantlanguage,evenamongtheFulani,Fulfuldeisthelinguafrancaof theregion,althoughdifferentKirdilanguageswereprevalentincertain areas.InthelamidatesofNgaoundrandTibati,theMbumlanguage becameaswidespreadastheFulfulde,evenintheroyalcourts.Nowadays, French,andtoacertaindegreeEnglish,hastakenovertheroleaslingua francainAdamawa. Traditions TheFulaninomadsliveinwetseasoncampswhileplantingandharvesting. Thepasturesarelushandgreen,andthecattlegrazefreely.Thesecamps consistofbeehivelikehutsmadeofwoventwigs,leaves,andgrass.During thedryseasonstheycampinportablehuts,movingthecattleorsheepto wellwateredlandsinthefloodplains. AdamawaFulanimenhunt,tradelivestock,andtendtotheherds.Whilethe oldermenexercisetheleadershipofthetribes,itisthedutyoftheyounger mentomovetheherds.Youngboysareresponsibleforhelpingtheirolder brotherswiththeherds.Thewomenusuallymilkthecattleandsellbutter inthemarkets. TheFulaniareaproudpeoplewhoteachtheiryoungchildrentohavetribal dignity.Fulanichildrenarerequiredtolovetheirmothersandrespecttheir elders.TheyarealsotaughttostrictlyholdontoimportantPulaakuvalues suchasgenerosity,honesty,andmodesty. WhileFulanichildrenarestillinfants,marriagesarearrangedforthemby 4

theirparents.Whenaboyisinitiatedintomanhood,hemovesintoa separatehut.Thishutwilleventuallybecomethehomeofhisfianc.Young girlslookforwardtobeingmarried,sincethiswillgivethemahighersocial status.Havingmanychildrenwillalsobringthemhonor. TheFulanihaveanunusualwayofinitiatingboysintomanhood.Theyoung boysmustbeateachotheracrossthechestwithwalkingstickswhile showingnosignsofpain.Throughouttherestoftheirlives,thesescarsare proudlyshownassignsofcourage. TherearemanytabooswithintheFulaniculture.Forexample,theyare forbiddentocallafirstsonordaughterbyname.Wheninpublic,wives muststayatadistance,butarewatchedoverbytheirhusbands.Goatmeat maynotbeeatenandbeefisonlyeatenatformalceremonies. CultureShock(nderkaaku) TheRevoltofYoungFulaniHerdersinAdamawa Withthechangesintroducedbythemoderncurrents,theFulaniofthe NgaoundrareainAdamawaareincreasinglydistraughtbythechanging relationshipsbetweenparentsandchildren.Whentheybecomeyoung adults,boysdonotobeytheirfathersanymore.Theyescapeforalifeof adventure,callednderkaakuinthelocalFulanilanguage.Theparentsare offendedbythissituation,eventhoughithastakenplaceformany generations.Thisisespeciallytrueforafamilywithoutcattle.Toseektheir ownfortuneelsewhere,theyoungmenhavetoleavehome.TheInheritance lawwhichfavorstheeldestisalsoanothersourceofrebellion. Butthemostpervasiveinfluenceisthecitylife.Whentheyoungmentake thecattletotheurbanmarkets,theylearnaboutmodernlifeandbecome furtherdistantfromtheirruralfamilies.Overallthough,despitethefamily disapproval,thisrebellionisseenasinevitablechangeswhichmayeven contributetotheenrichmentofthefamilyandtoadynamicFulani Diaspora. GlossaryofTerms
ardo Fulfuldear'do,pluralar'du'be.InAdamawa,ardocouldbetranslatedas chiefofdistrict.Mostlyatermofaclanleaderofthe Bororo.Inseveraldialects,ardomeansleaderofagroupofFulani,or simplyleader. FulfuldeMbororo.Originallyacondescendingterm,describingthe nomadicFulani.AlternativetermsareCattleFulaniorBushFulani. Emir Arabicamr:actuallymeaningCommander,Leader,Prince,Emir.Emiris themostcommonterminEuropeanliteratureforrulersinAdamawaor otherplacesbeingdirectsubjectstotheSultanofSokoto.Thecorrect terminFulfuldewouldbelaamiido(contrarytolaam'do,whichiscalled LamidoinEuropeanliterature).

Emirate Arabicimaara,pluralimaaraat:actuallymeaningPower,Emirate.Inthis contextitisreferredtoasaFulaniempire,headedbyanemir. Fombina FulfuldeFommbina:actuallymeaningTheSouth.Earlytermreferringto Adamawa. Jihad Arabic."Jihadhastwomeanings:one,nonviolentstrugglingwithin oneselfforalifeofvirtue;theother,fightingforjustice,asupremegoalin Islamicteachings. Kanuri Kanurikanri:actuallymeaningapersonoftheKanuripeople,or kanur:LanguageorCultureoftheKanuripeople.Importantpeopleand languageofthecentralSudan.TheKanuriwerethepeopleheadingthe powerfulBornuempire. Lamidate ThiswordisaEuropeanconstructionanddoesnotexistinFulfulde, wherethisunitiscalledlaamu.ThewordisconstructedoftheFulfulde wordlaamii'doandtheArabemirate.Thus,LamidatemeansFulani empireheadedbyalamido. Lamido Fulfuldelaam'do,plurallaamibe.Originatesintheverblaamaago; govern/head,andisatermdescribingtheruleroftheinhabitantsofa Lamidate,whichinturnissubjecttoanemir. Mayo Fulfuldemaayo:River. Modibo Fulfuldemoodibbo,pluralmoodi'b'be:LoanwordfromtheArabic mu'addib:Termdescribinganeducatedman,normallyteacherinaKoran school. SokotoCaliphate ThetermSokotoCaliphateistheEuropeanform.Ithasitsorigininthe capitaloftheempire,Sokoto.Theruleroftheempirecalledhimself sarkinmusulmi,orruleroftheMuslims. Sufism WithinIslam,theSufismischaracterizedbymysticism.WhileIslam normallyemphasizesthegreatdistancebetweenAllahandman,and therebyoftendoesnotmeettheneedsofthefaithfultocomeintocontact withthetranscendent,SufismopensadoortotheunitywithAllah.For examplethroughtheleadingofanasceticlifeorpracticingsuggestive exercises,eachandeverybodycouldgettofeeltheclosenessofAllah, howeveraftergoingthroughalongprocess.Sufism,thus,wasmore popularthanorthodoxIslam,andthereforemoresuitedforthespreadof thereligionormission.Fromthe12thcentury,Sufismbecamea widespreadpopularversionofIslamamongstordinarypeople,thepoor andtheilliterate.InAfricaitgainedgreatpopularityandbecame widespread.
Abstractfrom:RainerChr.Hennig.RiseandFalloftheAdamawaEmirate(translated introductiontothesis,1993).Jamtan